ANOTHER YEAR TO ALL MY GOOD BLOGGER-FRIENDS..

WISHING U JOY & PEACE TOWARDS 2010..

HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIENDS..LUV YAH..:)

You can enjoy fresh herbs year-round by drying or freezing them. They won’t have quite the quality of fresh-picked ones, but they can still bring a kiss of sunshine to many dishes.

Here a rundown on using and storing fresh herbs:

Using: Use 1 tablespoon fresh herbs if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon dried. Add the fresh herbs near the end of cooking so they don’t lose their flavor.

Mix fresh chopped herbs with mayonnaise for an herb spread. Or toss fresh herbs in salads. You can also add fresh chopped herbs to olive oil and serve with fresh baguettes.

Refrigerator storing: Store basil loosely covered with plastic wrap, with the stems in water. Keep most other herbs unwashed in a plastic sealable bag with the air squeezed out.

Or wash and dry them and trim the stem ends. Place the herb bunch in a tall glass canning jar with a screw-on lid or a plastic container. Add water to cover the stems by at least 1 inch; do not cover the leaves with water. Cover tightly with the lid.

Change the water every couple of days. The herbs should keep for seven to 10 days. Remove and discard any leaves that wilt or darken.

Long-term storage: Here are some recommendations from the Michigan State University Extension and the Free Press Test Kitchen:

• Bag-drying: Tie herbs by the stems, in a small bunch. Place them inside paper bags with the leaves down. Tie a string around the top of each bag. Cut several holes in the sides and hang the bag in a warm area with good air circulation until the herbs have completely dried.

Do not use a microwave to dry herbs — they can burn. Dehydrators work well; follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Freezing: Wash, drain, pat them dry and spread them on a flat tray to freeze. When they are firm, pack the herbs in freezer-safe bags. Use them straight from the freezer.

Place chopped herbs in ice cube trays and cover them with water or chicken or vegetable stock. Freeze until firm and transfer the herb ice cubes to freezer-safe bags or containers. Add the ice cubes to stews, soups or sauces. Or thaw and add the herbs to cooked dishes that call for fresh herbs.

With basil, I find it’s best to make pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays or divide and store it in freezer quality containers. By Susan M. Selasky, The Miami Herald

The Fresno Nuclear Energy Group and A Areva have signed a letter of intent to build nuclear reactors in California’s Central Valley. Areva is proposing to build its EPR reactor somewhere in Fresno County, possibly beginning construction in 2017. If this nuclear push in the golden state is successful, it will set a strong precedent for nuclear energy in the U.S. in general, carrying the potential to dramatically change the country’s power mix.

Areva is supplying the technology for the project. Founded in 2001, Areva is a subsidiary of global research CEA, 90 percent of which is owned by the French government. Siemens, one of the major players emerging in the smart grid arena, has a 34 percent stake in Areva NP, the branch in charge of the nuclear reactor business.

Areva’s lead technology, called the Evolution Pressurized Reactor, is a powerful third-generation reactor cooled by pressurized water. A proposed EPR reactor in Maryland would produce 1,600 megawatts of power, capable of powering up to 1,600,000 homes. A similar facility could be slated for California’s Central Valley. And several other EPR reactors are in the works in the U.S., even though much of Europe has shunned the design due to safety concerns. These holdups have caused two such projects in Finland to run over deadlines and budgets.

Similar problems with time and money have been encountered in Areva’s French effort. There, one reactor’s construction prompted a letter from Finland, France and the U.K. governments alleging that the instrumentation and control systems are dangerously constructed.

With climate change becoming a hotter (pun intended) issue every day, nuclear power is becoming a more viable technology. While construction costs and timelines typically exceed proposed limits, the reactors emit very little carbon and do not depend on fossil fuels.

Nuclear power could bring California that much closer to hitting its goal of producing 33 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Even if Areva’s control systems are improved and no construction overages occur (unlikely), there are sure to be years of government permit review before construction can begin. By Tom Slater, The New York Times

Perfect for those who want a delicious quick smoke on their lunch or coffee break, Swisher Sweets are small cigars made by Bering. Their unique and secret blend of quality tobaccos and special flavorings produces a very mild, sweet tasting, and satisfying smoke. Hence, be that as it may, however, federal health officials have banned the sale of flavored cigarettes and may soon take action against the sale of cigars and other like kind products. “Banning the marketing and use of strawberry, chocolate and other flavored cigarettes will help slow the rate of addiction among young smokers, preventing disease and saving millions in health care costs down the line,” said Senator Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat.

In 2009, many life insurance companies raised their rates, but a few of them are actually bringing them back down again. Despite the frenzy of re-pricing activity that has taken place in the insurance market this year, there are still some incredibly low premiums to be had. And finding free insurance quotes in your place is quick and simple with insurancequotesus.com’s intuitive quote referral form. You can have an insurance quote instantly from up to three insurance companies that are offering the most competitive quotes. Simply visits the above mentioned now and feel safe with personal and family insurance quotes of your choice.

Most women have flaws they want to disguise, especially when having children of course, blessed, wonderful and life changing. However, one somewhat unfortunate side effect of having children can be a lack of regular sleep. This can result for many women having some serious dark circles under the eyes, scars, age spots, birthmarks or simple skin discoloration.

As a matter of fact, there are plenty of products considered by thousands of women to be the best overall concealer, but they don’t actually work to get rid of your dark circles instead they just give you false hope. And in order to reduce dark circles, you have to essentially strengthen and repair the skin. The first thing to do when trying to cover dark circles under the eye is to take an objective look at how severe they truly are and by then you will be amazed at the difference in not only how you look, but how you feel.

Over the years, many exceptional people who have studied at Knewton have shaped our world. Mind you guys, studying law really opens the door to different opportunities in life and because of that many students study law to possibly enhance their career in business or in law enforcement. And to further their practice with full explanations, it is best to have an LSAT prep which is a standardized test that law schools use to help assess the qualifications of applicants. It is designed to measure the logical and verbal reasoning skills required for success in any law school. All you have to do now is visit the above mentioned, attend online class with others and learn strategies from true experts and you’ll have everything you need to master the above.